Kings & Queens
by Kgvision
Summary: In a world where magic follows the whims of the stars, Rukia struggles to juggle tradition, family, honor, and freedom. Maybe if she adds in strength, the balance she searches for just might come to pass.
1. Introduction

**A/N: This is simply a story I have rambling around in my head. I write for myself as an outlet, as such I apologize if you are expecting prompt and timely updates, I do this only when I have the time and inclination. No flames please. I do not own Bleach.**

 **Kuchiki Manor – Vernal Equinox**

The crowd was murmuring around her, a low constant thrum in the background. Rukia was still only a few years adopted into the clan, but she had figured out almost immediately her presence was not welcomed. She wanted to shrink away - become so tiny and invisible no one would notice her - and she could perform the Divination Ceremony in peace, but she knew that would never be. Point in fact, due to her own history she was the second most talked about person in the garden at this moment; other than her adoptive brother Byakuya, the current head of the clan and most eligible bachelor/widower the clan could offer.

She had no doubts that maybe, MAYBE, five people were actually here for her today. The rest were present to make an appearance, and possibly maneuver their way into her brother's graces. Heads of lesser branches were looking to angle their sisters and daughters into the sight of Lord Byakuya Kuchiki. Men with large ambitions and mediocre talent were eager to pitch business proposals. And the gossip mongers would want to say they say firsthand how this presumptuous street-rat conducted herself in front of true nobility.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd with her brother, it was hard to gauge accurate numbers without turning around. Fidgeting, her brother would probably say, but there seemed around 100 nobles gathered in the private garden with space aplenty for ten times that amount. Like all gardens belonging to the Kuchiki clan the grass was immaculately trimmed. The trees, shrubs, and flowers were arranged to lend an air of wild natural beauty, though in fact it was anything but, not with the amount of money Byakuya spent on landscaping staff. This particular garden housed in the center a large circular stone structure, with 4 interspersed openings tall enough for a grown man to easily walk through. These openings were covered in rolls of sheer silk curtains, light enough to blow gently in the late morning breeze, but layered enough to keep out prying eyes. Inside this shrine the Divination Ceremony would take place. The ceremony always took place on the equinox or solstice following one's 18th birthday.

Rukia was thankful she wasn't born later in the year, she would hate to stand around in the heavy sunlight of the summer solstice while in her formal attire. No, the spring equinox was much more preferable. She was also thankful her new family had their own shrine, and the ceremony would take place on the privacy of their own lands. She did not want to disappoint her new elder brother in front of hundreds of strangers by coming away with a shallow repository of power, doing so in front of the clan representatives was going to be bad enough.

"I wonder how much she will receive?"

"If she is anything like her roots, we'll be lucky if she can even boil water."

"What an insult she has her ceremony here at the Kuchiki altar. This is a matter of family honor and history, she has neither."

"She looks like his late wife, I wonder what _other_ similarities he has found in the two of them."

Rukia heard the poisonous whispers echo around her and felt a flash of guilt for her previous wallowings of self-doubt, followed by a quiet burst of anger. How dare these people insult her at her own Divination Ceremony! These pompous aristocrats who never had to fight, bleed, and harden themselves just to scratch out a meager living. Her fists clenched, digging 10 crescent divots into her hands. She would not cower for them, she would not conveniently disappear; she would show them her resolve, she would make her brother proud, she would make sure they…

"Rukia." Came a cold baritone, jolting her from her thoughts.

She felt her back stiffen and hoped her face was schooled into an appropriately stoic expression. And just like that, with only a single word, the resolve she felt forming crumbled to ash and slipped through her fingers. Had Byakuya heard the vile whispers as well? If so, would he even care? "Yes brother?"

Byakuya stood impassively next to her, his taller frame dwarfing her petite figure. Standing side by side, they could easily pass for true siblings with their dark hair, porcelain skin, and fine features. He did not bother to turn to address her. "Today is your Divination Ceremony, all eyes are upon you and your conduct. Bear that in mind."

"Yes brother, thank you for your guidance." Rukia lowered her eyes to the ground, sufficiently chastised and ashamed.

Byakuya continued "The Kuchiki family has a long history of strong Souls, but while the clan may have high requirements of you, you will find no such expectations from me."

 _"What is he saying? That he doesn't think I'll amount to anything?"_ Rukia thought aghast. It was well known that Byakuya Kuchiki had one of the strongest Souls, in fact his was a Royal Soul, a King's Soul. This was why he was named Clan Head at such a young age. There was hardly anybody else around who could complete with that kind of power. But to hear from her own brother, the one who adopted her in the first place, that he has little to no expectations of her cut deeply. Rukia drew in a slow breath to steady herself, "I understand dear brother, I shall do my best to gain favor with the outcome of today's ceremony, and not shame the Kuchiki name which has so graciously been bestowed upon me."

Her brother only gave a small "Hmmph." which she hoped was of approval. Though not very noble-like from all the times she had done the same and come away with disapproving looks from the elders.

Following a thread of thought from their conversation, Rukia wondered just what kind of Soul resided within her and how much power she would walk away with today, mostly she mused on the power aspect. She hoped to come away with at least a medium sized amount of power, this would put her on par with the majority of the Kuchiki clan. But if she could even get slightly above that, then the elders wouldn't have as much room to complain about her adoption since she could then be viewed as a benefit to the strength of the clan. It was nearly impossible to tell beforehand how much potential power one possessed, there seemed to be a correlation between the strength of the parents and that of the child, but those predictions did not always come to pass. With Rukia never having known her parents, her guess was as good as anyone else's.

The conversations died down as the silken cloth parted before the Kuchiki siblings, and out from the shrine walked the family's priestess on retainer. She paused before the pair of raven headed siblings and bowed to Byakuya as Mores dictated was proper for a Priestess to acknowledge one of his position. She then turned her attention to Rukia and held out her hands in formal greeting. Though her face was not unkind, emotion was held in reserve for the significance of what was to take place. Rukia extended her hands to meet the old woman's and waited for her cue to recite the family's ritual dialogue.

"Child of the Kuchiki Clan, on this day of the Vernal Equinox, you have been granted rights at this sacred altar to obtain that power which inhabits your Soul."

"I, Rukia Kuchiki, child of the Kuchiki Clan, accept all my Soul has to offer. I embrace that which is mine and acknowledge my truest being."

The priestess continued with her portion of the ritual, reciting the virtues of being born a Winter Child and the celebration that is the Vernal Equinox; how this was a time for new beginnings and hope. Rukia took this time to observe the priestess. She was an old and grizzled woman, who had obviously seen many a decade of sow and harvest. Her traditional attire started a brilliant cobalt blue darkening to midnight at the hems, with the phases of the moon embroidered along the bottom. With a slight nod, the priestess then withdrew her hands and made her way back towards the opening with Rukia following behind. Rukia dared a small glance over her shoulder as she made her way forward. Some guests exhibited genuine curiosity, but the majority simply looked bored. Byakuya stood as still as marble, no emotion displayed for the world to witness.

She turned back towards the priestess who had come to a halt before the opening.

"Winter Child, Equinox divined, your Soul awaits you."

"I accept that which I will receive."

With the last words properly said, Rukia parted the hanging silks and entered the shrine. Immediately inside she stopped to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. Unseen from the outside, the roof of the shrine was covered by stretched cloth allowing warm light to gently seep in, with a dozen evenly spaced openings. As the sun was almost directly overhead, the beams of light shining through resembled a clock face upon the shrine floor.

She made her way to the center where the square stone altar rose bare and unassuming, and stood before the side identifying the spring equinox. "Here goes nothing." Slowly she placed her hands upon the altar, closed her eyes, and started to meditate as she had practiced for the past months.

For a while nothing happened, and Rukia wondered if she had somehow made a mistake. _"Am I at the correct side? Did I mix up the symbols? Shit, maybe I chose the wrong equinox!"_ Suddenly, Rukia felt herself being dragged down into her own mind, and into the blackness she fell.

And fell.

And fell.

She lost all sense of time as she continued to fall deeper. How long had she been falling? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? She had read in books that the senses could be affected, but this unknown sensation was so wholly foreign that in her confusion all she could do was cloak herself in the first emotion she found, anger. And still in her anger she fell.

And fell.

Before Rukia could gather her thoughts, an overwhelming force of thunder and howling freezing winds came blasting past her. Letting loose a terrified scream no one could hear, she was violently flung back into her own body. Her violet eyes flew open with a startled gasp. _"I'm here! I'm still here. I wasn't gone. I'm back."_ She tried to catch her breath. Tried to steady her pounding heart. Her mind was a jumbled mess for several seconds before she realized what had happened. She was still at the altar. Her hands placed on cool stone. She had performed the Divination Ceremony. She could now access her powers.

Heart in her throat, she looked down at her arms. There were her bands of power! Glowing brightly against her pale skin they started on her palms and extended past her wrists, and…to her elbows? No, past her elbows! The went halfway to her shoulders! The bands could almost be mistaken for intricate tattoos had they not been glowing. In their current unsealed state, they were a symbol of her strength for the world to acknowledge. This was more than she could have hoped for, an average level of power ended just before the elbow; hers went nearly up her bicep. And this was only the first ceremony, she still had her Age of Majority Ceremony in three years! _"Take that snotty elders. With this, I won't drag the clan's reputation down, and I know I can make Byakuya proud."_ She thought with a satisfied smirk.

She was so excited to show her brother her new-found power that _she almost missed one small detail. "I can't wait for Byakuya to see, maybe he'll actually have a reaction and prove he's human. They even look like his!" she grinned. "Wait a minute, they look like his? That can't be right, they should be a pure-as-the-driven-snow white. Aren't they? No, oh no no no no no!"_

To her horror, staring her straight in the face were not marks of brilliant _white_ power, but _pale purple_ extending up both arms. Royal Purple. She had a Royal Soul.

 _Oh shit._


	2. Chapter 1: A New Year

**Almost 1 year later…**

* * *

Welcome **Ichigo Kurosaki** to your first year at The Royal Academy. All students are required to enroll in 6 courses per year. **Mores** and **Logic & Strategy** are mandatory to all Year 1 students. Select 4 additional courses from the below list:

Choose 1 or more of the following combat courses (placement test taken on first class day):  
 **Physical Combat  
Weapons Combat**

Choose 1 or more of the following spells courses (placement test taken on first class day):  
 **Tactical Spells  
Utility Spells**

Select any final courses from the following:  
 **Leadership  
Seminary  
Teacher's Assistant/Internship – Instructor Name: **

Turn in this form to your student representative by 5pm Friday. Your schedule will be delivered to your dorm room by Sunday evening.

Year 1 Representative: **Uryu Ishida  
** Dorm Assignment: **Quad 1-5 (Men's Freshman Dorm)**

* * *

 _"Ugh, not even the first day of class and already a headache is brewing."_ lamented Ichigo Kurosaki. He was lying exhausted on a bare mattress, a handful of unopened moving boxes surrounding him. It was the Wednesday before classes, the first day to move into the academy dorms, and he had only just managed to chase away his crazy father with threats of physical harm, and the possibility of an ice cream shop nearby. Said ice cream shop wouldn't have had any effect on the senior Kurosaki, but Ichigo's twin sisters immediately perked up and absconded with their father to hunt for the elusive treat. Why anybody would want ice cream when there was still snow on the ground was beyond him. The Longest Night Festival was less than 2 weeks ago and it was barely into the new year, what was wrong with those girls?

With a yawn, Ichigo sat up and looked around his new home for the next 4 years. Never in all his years did he honestly believe he could wind up at the Royal Academy. This place was the epitome of elite, allowing in only those who possessed a Royal Soul or the select few who were training to become priests and priestesses. Sure, he had dreamed about what it would be like to attend the academy, but he also dreamed about being a knight and saving a damsel in distress, or being an explorer to distant and unknown lands. They were all fantasies, silly ideas outside his reach. Or so he had thought up until 4 months ago.

 ** _Autumnal Equinox_**

 _Ichigo was pissed. It was too damned hot to be outside, especially in these clothes! Seriously, what was the need to dress up for this dog and pony show anyway? Even though there might be two hundred plus people in attendance, only three were here for his Divination Ceremony, and being his family they knew his wearing a jacket and tie was akin to a 5-year-old trying to play grown up. So, this image of Respectable Ichigo was for the benefit of the other hundred strangers, none of whom did he think he'd ever see again, much less remember._

 _He growled in frustration, willing time to just hurry up. The field the dozen or so high school seniors and their accompanying families occupied was starting to turn brown from the recent and unexpected heat wave, so there wasn't even anything interesting to look at. The only thought he could keep coming back to was an old one, a question actually, and one he still didn't have an answer to. What was he going to do with his life once he received his powers? He really didn't know what he wanted to do after this, didn't even know where to start. He could be a guard or join the military he supposed, work his way up the ranks. Being a defender and enforcer of the peace had a certain appeal, but he also knew himself well enough to know he had an authority complex. Specifically, he ignored it. There were very few people in positions of power he had met whom he believed were competent and able to evaluate what was right instead of what followed the rules. He could go to university, though that still came back to, what did he want to do? He could study medicine, but was that what he truly wanted or was it just a safe backup? Following in his father's footsteps? Maybe he should stay with his cousin and his wife for a while. They might be able to give him some advice and direction._

 _He glanced over at his family hoping for a reprieve from his thoughts and found the three of them lounging on a large picnic blanket, already breaking out the food and drink. Wait, what the hell?! Here he was sitting on a stupid metal folding chair - not the slightest bit comfortable by the way - dying of heat stroke for his Divination Ceremony, and they didn't even have the decency to wait for the man of the hour!_

 _He scowled at his father, absolutely positive his little sisters Yuzu and Karin would have waited for his return to pull out the feast, if not for the crazy interventions of one psychotic father named Isshin Kurosaki. Well, at least Yuzu would have. Karin probably didn't instigate this betrayal but more than likely agreed as soon as the suggestion was made._

 _Thank the stars his turn was next, they were nearly halfway through the dedicants; Ichigo wasn't sure if he could have remained sane had his name been any further down the list. He was willing to bet his scowl was now a permanent feature of his face._

 _The boy who had gone before him finally exited the shrine and went running towards his family, showing off the white bands which stopped near the middle of his forearm. The ceremony priestess nervously approached Ichigo. Scratch that, priestess in training. This girl was falling all over her words, she could barely form a coherent sentence. "Uh, you're up next. Time to go! I mean, not away. Don't go away. Please stay. Well, not stay, you need to go…to the shrine." and pointed him towards the opening._

 _Still with a scowl, Ichigo stalked towards the shrine, and looked over to his family. Yuzu smiled and waved, Karin was busy with what looked like a slice of cake, and Isshin was giving an over enthusiastic two thumbs up._

 _"THAT'S MY BOY! NOW YOU'LL DEFINITELY GET YOURSELF A GIRL!"_

 _"Shut up you old pervert!" shouted Ichigo._

 _Ignoring the rest of his father's antics, Ichigo walked into the shrine and stopped to orient himself. There wasn't too much to notice, the floors were dirt, the roof timber, and a stone altar in was in the center of the shrine. Guess that's where he was headed. Gah! Why was it so hot in here? Haven't these architects heard of air flow? He took off his jacket and set it aside, loosening his tie in the process. Grumbling, tired, and now hungry (no thanks to ISSHIN), he was ready for this to be over. Ichigo oriented himself in front of the Autumnal Equinox symbols and stuck his hands out to touch the stone. Dragging in a deep breath he tried to remember the training he and his classmates received the past year on meditation._

 _Breath in._

 _Breath out._

 _Breath in._

 _Breath out._

 _Calm the mind._

 _Breath in._

 _Breath out._

 _Breath in._

 _Breath out._

 _Let the body relax._

 _Breath in._

 _Breath o-_

 _OH CRAP! What just happened?! Ichigo felt like he had suddenly been shoved to the ground, landing on his backside. He opened his eyes, or thought he did anyway, but there was nothing except pitch blackness. He moved his hands to push himself to a standing position, but the ground didn't feel like the dirt of the shrine floor, it felt like smooth glass. He extended his reach, but the glass surface kept going. Standing up, he tried to remember what he could about what he was supposed to experience. The thing was, it was very disconcerting to know your eyes were open, but not be able to see anything. Ichigo raised his hand to his face, felt his breath on his fingers, but he still couldn't see his hand mere inches in front of him. He was finding it a little nerve-wracking to gather his thoughts._

 _CRACK!_

 _What the-? Was that breaking glass? The ground beneath him lurched, and he felt it shatter into pieces beneath him. The funny thing was, he didn't fall. Is this normal? He took a couple steps forward, heard the glass crunch beneath his shoes, still he did not fall. Well this is interesting. Not really knowing what else to do, Ichigo started walking. Then he started running. Was this a test of some kind? Run around in this blank mindscape until he finds something interesting?_

 _SMACK!_

 _Son. Of. A. Bitch! Who the hell puts up a wall nobody can see?! Ichigo clutched his now broken nose and felt the blood dripping through his fingers. If he breaks his nose in his mind, does his nose break in real life? Having enough of this shit, and feeling frustration give way to anger, Ichigo yelled an obscenity into the darkness and threw a punch at that damned wall that had the nerve to get in his way._

 _As his hand collided with said structure, he suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back in the shrine. Hands still placed on the altar, no scrapes or bruises on knuckles that less than a second ago had been attacking an innocent wall. It was a good omen for his nose if his hands were just fine.  
_

 _His hands! Taking a closer look, Ichigo saw purple, yes PURPLE, markings lightly glowing on his palms and through his shirt. They made their way up his arms and onto his shoulder blades. In a state of shock, all he could do was stare, mouth hanging open like an idiot. So many thoughts were running through his brain, there was no way to make heads nor tails of them. His mind was being so thoroughly bombarded with all the repercussions of having a Royal Soul, that the only words he could grasp onto were "Royal Academy"._

 _Well, at least he finally knew the answer to his earlier question._

Shaking off his reminiscing, Ichigo observed his room. For being such a prestigious and exclusive institution, the dorms were surprisingly…normal. The rooms were set up as quads, 2 roommates shared a bathroom and small common area with 2 other roommates. Pretty sure his unknown roommate wouldn't mind, Ichigo took to exploring. Everything was in pairs, 2 beds, 2 desks, 2 closets, 2 windows, 2 doors. The closets were basic and identical with sets of drawers on the bottom. Good, no need to call dibs. The desks appeared evenly used as well. Assuming the door he hadn't already entered through was the bathroom, he opened it wide. A single toilet, sink, mirror, and shower stall greeted him. Across the way was another door, probably to his quad mates' room. Deciding to keep introductions for later, Ichigo closed the door behind him and started to unpack.

The first box was clothes. Easy enough. Open box, grab clothes, toss into closet dresser. Repeat. Next box was bedding. Ok, sleeping on clean sheets would be nice. As he pulled out the linens, something fell from inside the bedding and tumbled onto the floor with a clatter. Setting the sheets on the bed, he reached down and picked up a rather large box of...condoms? _What the…?!_ **Extra Large! Ribbed for her pleasure, with lube. Assorted fruit flavors for hours of fun!**

With a strangled yelp he threw the offending box across the room…where it hit a dark-haired stranger in a winter coat right in the face.

"Shit, sorry." Ichigo flushed as he walked over to the newcomer who was adjusting his specs. "Ichigo Kurosaki, sorry about that. I didn't realize someone was there."

"Apparently." Came the cool response. Picking up the item which had recently assaulted his face, the stranger handed the box over to Ichigo. "Uryu Ishida, first year student representative, and your roommate."

"Oh so you're the student rep. Good, I won't have to hunt you down for my class schedule." scowled Ichigo as he shoved the condoms to the back of one of the dresser drawers. Out of sight out of mind. "I hope you don't mind the bed nearest the door, I prefer being near the windows."

Uryu waived him off, "That's fine, as a student representative I have a very busy schedule and will be here only for studying and sleeping." With a warning glare he added "Don't take that to mean you have free reign to bring any females here for 'hours of fun', women in the men's dormitory is strictly prohibited, and vice versa."

Ichigo was choking on air "There's an actual story behind that. They aren't mine!" he growled as his ears turned pink.

Uryu removed his coat and placed it on his mattress. "I really don't want to know."

"Tch, whatever you say four-eyes." Time to regain control of the conversation. "Have the other 2 shown up yet?" he asked moving about the room, getting his bedding in order.

"Not yet. Though I don't expect one until at least tomorrow at the earliest."

"Eh? You know our quad mates?" That was surprising. Less than .5% of the population had Royal Souls, so to already know somebody in the academy was not a common occurrence.

"No, I know **of** our quad mates. I am a student representative after all." Uryu commented nonchalantly sitting at his desk, inspecting the drawers.

There was an evident pregnant pause.

"And?" asked Ichigo. _"Maybe this guy is just socially awkward. It's not like he's trying to bait you."_

"And I hope we all get along." Uryu said, a slight hint of a smirk showing.

Screw that, this kid is definitely trying to bait him. Must have been the four-eyes comment.

"How do you know both won't show up today?" ground out Ichigo, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"One of them is part of the ambassadorship program between Gotei and Hueco Mundo. All students in the program have a schedule they'll follow up until Sunday, from what I gather it's to help the new students acclimate to some of our customs and set up a type of support base here since they're so far from home."

"Huh, Hueco Mundo eh? That's not something you hear every day. Doesn't Gotei and everybody hate them or something?"

With an exasperated look Uryu answered "You really need to improve upon your political studies Lord Kurosaki, all the allies have been extending peace accords with Hueco Mundo for the past several years. This will be the third year of the ambassadorship program, to foster friendship between the nations and hopefully improve diplomatic and trade ties. Now, they only send their most promising students from the entire country, so I want all of us to be on our best behavior around him. He's probably a little nervous since he carries a lot of political backing and the expectations of his country. We need to help him transition as smoothly as possible."

"You don't have to address me as Lord Kurosaki. Being Royal is pretty cool, but I'm just Ichigo. It freaked me out that first week after, when everybody suddenly started calling me Lord. There's no need to follow Mores with me." Ichigo stated.

"As a matter of fact there is." Ichigo started to deny this before Uryu swiftly cut him off. "As bearers of Royal Souls, we are all now addressed as Lord and Lady. This is something that will be taught in our Mores course, and even though it may seem silly now Mores is in fact is designed to help us navigate the intricacies of class, power, and Royal caste. Especially once we go through our Age of Majority Ceremony and are designated as a Lord, Prince, or King, it will become even more important. But if you wish for now, I will call you Ichigo as a peer and not as a fellow Royal."

"Sure, sounds great. I'll do the same. So, who are our other pair of roommates?"

"Lord Renji Abarai and ambassador student Lord Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." replied Uryu.

"You two will probably get along then. After all, he must be an exceptionally smart and driven student if he was selected from his entire country to attend the Academy." considered Ichigo.

"Yes, you're probably right."

 **Elsewhere on campus…**

"Come on Kaien, can't you haul those boxes any faster?" teased Rukia. "Maybe we should ask Miyako to help, I bet she could bring them up in no time." With a slight snicker, Rukia made her way up the expansive staircase of the first-year women's dormitory, hauling an overstuffed bag to the second story floor.

"You better watch it Kuchiki, or I might just lose my balance and your poor boxes will become victims of gravity." A few steps below, Kaien laughed at the expression of horror which overcame Rukia's features.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"What wouldn't he dare?" came a soft voice floating up the banister.

Flashing an impish grin, Rukia dropped her luggage on the landing and turned around to face them with a worried expression on her face. "Oh Miyako," she crooned in a sickly-sweet voice that made Kaien's ears ache with its pitch and falsity "Your husband was just saying how these boxes were too heavy for him, and he thinks he might drop them. Would you be able to help? If I'd known they were too much for poor Kaien to handle I would have asked someone stronger to assist us." Rukia saw how that made Kaien's eye twitch. "Oh dear, I hope you don't over-strain yourself Kaien, I would feel just awful if something were to happen to you on my account."

"That's not what I said at all. Don't listen to the little devil Miyako, she's exaggerating. I'm perfectly fine."

"But Kaien," gasped Rukia in mock concern "You just said my boxes would become victims of gravity, whatever else could you have meant?"

Kaien heard a chuckle from his wife behind him, saw the mirth in Rukia's eyes in front of him; this situation was not boding well for one Kaien Shiba.

"Oh, did he now?" came Miyako's amused voice.

"Well, we better stop blocking the stairs; let's go drop these boxes off. Rukia lead the way." Kaien was going to put a stop to this conversation here and now before the two females could completely gang up on him. Not that he couldn't handle the two of them in a game of wits, it's only they were very…persistent. Plus, standing there just holding the stacked boxes, his arms were starting to ache under their combined weight. Not that he would ever admit it. And at this point, using basic magic that even toddlers knew to levitate the boxes would be admitting defeat in front of the two Ladies. Not going to happen.

Rukia smiled innocently. "If you insist Kaien, I'm sure you could use the rest once we get there." And started on her way to her assigned room, pleased with her parting shot.

"Little devil." Grumbled Kaien and made his way up the rest of the stairs. Miyako laughed as she caught up to him. She was a beautiful creature, slender and graceful, with skin soft as silk, and the kindest eyes you ever saw. Her hair of ebony was pulled high into a half bun, its length waterfalling down her back, wispy tendrils framing a delicate face.

They all turned down a marked hallway and made their way to the very end of the wing, quad room 8. Rukia grabbed her welcome packet, pulled out a key, and opened the door allowing Kaien and her boxes through. The three made their way in and took to looking around. They had walked into what appeared to be a sitting room for the quad. There was a small square table with 4 chairs, nothing fancy by any means, and a small loveseat hugging a wall. Across the room, there were a set of cabinets, a sink, next to it a bare counter top that looked large enough to hold a coffee brewer. To the far left and the far right were doors, which presumably lead to the bedrooms. It could fit 3 people comfortably, 4 would be cozy, and any more would be crowded. Miyako walked over to the left door.

"This one has your name Rukia." She called back as she knocked and entered Rukia's new home. "It seems as though we are the first to arrive as well."

With a grunt, Kaien carried the boxes into the room and set them on the closest mattress. "Looks like you get first pick early bird, which bed will it be?"

With her luggage clattering behind her, Rukia made her way to the bed closest the window, and with an exaggerated groan fell face forward onto the mattress. "This one." Came her muffled reply.

"Now that that's settled," started Miyako, "why don't the two of you go down to the coach and gather the rest of the boxes. I can start unpacking and organizing some of your things. Then we can explore the campus and have lunch."

"Thanks, Miyako." Grinned Rukia. She then turned to Kaien "Come on slowpoke, no time to rest those tired bones of yours." and practically bounced out of the room.

Kaien rolled his eyes "How does someone so small have so much energy? She's like a wound-up coil, always ready to spring." and followed Rukia into the hallway, the banter between the two of them flowing as easily as water.

Miyako had to laugh at his statement. Rukia had bounds of energy when she was excited, and this certainly was an exciting day. It was a pleasure to see Rukia finally coming out of her shell. There was such a marked difference from when Byakuya Kuchiki first sent Rukia to the Shiba clan for "polish" this past spring, it truly was astounding. She had arrived timid and reserved, just a few weeks after her Divination Ceremony. You felt as if you could break her spirit with nothing more than a harsh word. Byakuya had not traveled along with her in the coach, so she and her luggage arrived alone, standing by herself in the entryway of Shiba Hall, with a letter of introduction. The poor girl had been so nervous that when the Lord and Lady Shiba introduced themselves, she could only sputter out "Uh…ah hi." and that was the beginning of the end for poor Rukia Kuchiki. Kaien promptly pounced and berated her for her lack of due respect to a King and Princess, and after she quickly squeaked out a formal greeting, he just laughed and ruffled her hair, saying she needed to loosen up and relax. In the usual overwhelming Kaien fashion, he took it upon himself to education Rukia on how to "be a Royal, without being a stuck up noble prick". He became the big brother she needed, teasing, pushing, and challenging her. With the boisterous encouragement of Kaien and the ever-gentle support of Miyako, Rukia began to thrive.

Rukia stayed with them for four months before being sent to the Shihoin clan for "training", but those four months were enough to bring out the true Rukia, which for the past years had been hidden away. She had made friends with the Hall's staff, and she brought an air of whimsical enthusiasm to the place. Not that the Hall had been a dreary or up-tight place to begin with, but Rukia's presence somehow made it brighter. It had taken a couple weeks for her to get used to Kaien's teasing, but once she started to develop a thicker skin, she started to hold her own against him. Remembering that time fondly, Miyako started opening Rukia's boxes. After a four-month stint with the Shihoin Clan, Rukia returned to Kuchiki Manor to spend the weeks surrounding the Longest Night Festival with her brother as was expected of her. Byakuya had clan business he needed to look after once the festivities concluded, so he asked the Shibas to accompany Rukia to the Academy since she seemed on friendly terms with them.

Peering inside the boxes, it was obvious Byakuya or one of the servants had chosen Rukia's bedding. It was of highest quality with matching linens and pillows, but of an elegant and sedated dove grey. Had Rukia chosen for herself no doubt they would have been bright and colorful, probably covered with animals of some sort. After opening the remaining boxes, the same theme seemed to repeat itself. All the items and clothes were of excellent quality and in neutral tones. Rukia's dorm would look like it came straight from the pages of a designer magazine for nobles, it would exude Kuchiki wealth and class, but it would not reflect Rukia.

The relationship between Rukia and Byakuya was unusual to say the least. From listening to the tales Rukia told, it had been Byakuya's instigation to adopt her as his little sister (which was odd enough as the two had never met, and he was not yet a decade her senior), yet for all apparent purposes once she arrived at the Kuchiki household he abandoned her. Oh, she received the best tutors money could buy, ate the most delicious food from finest china, and wore luxurious clothes in the latest fashions; she could not want for anything, except companionship. She was isolated from everyone. There was nobody around her age living in the manor or the nearby area, she did not go to school and was tutored at home, and the only real social functions she attended were noble gatherings where she was expected to represent herself as the sister of a clan head. She could make small talk but say nothing personal. Give a few minutes of time to each person but move on to another so as not to insult anyone by accidentally overlooking them. Listen fiercely but talk sparingly. Not exactly the best way to forge friendships. Even when Byakuya was not traveling for clan or Royal business, the two only saw each other for meals that were usually filled with awkward silence. It did not help that Byakuya expected all interactions to follow the strictest interpretation of Mores. For a girl who had grown up on the streets and later an orphanage, never had any interactions with Royals, and had only recently become immersed in proper Mores conduct, it was often easier to say nothing than to accidentally offend her older brother.

Miyako unpacked the last of the boxes and placed Rukia's luggage on the bed. It was the only personal item Rukia brought, so Miyako would leave it to her to unpack as she wished. It was perfect timing too as two arguing voices made their way into the room.

"I didn't fall, you tripped me." stated Rukia.

"If by trip you mean 'didn't watch where you were going and fell over a rock in the path', then yes." replied Kaien.

"There was no rock, only your big foot in my way, where it didn't belong." Rukia and Kaien walked in carrying the last two boxes. Rukia looked around and gaped.

"Wow Miyako, I can't believe you did all this so quickly, thank you!"

"It was no trouble. Are those the last of the boxes?" Miyako asked.

"Yeah, this shouldn't take too long, then we can grab some lunch nearby." Answered Kaien as they set the boxes by Rukia's closet. "How about you two ladies finish up here and do your female bonding stuff, while I go see if Jushiro is available for lunch. I doubt his office has moved, and I know he'll be happy to see you again Rukia."

Lord Jushiro Ukitake was a family friend of the Lord and Lady Shiba, one of the lasting friendships they had made with their instructors during their time at the Academy. When he was not teaching at the Royal Academy, Lord Ukitake was usually at his family's estate near the coast within the Shiba clan's territory. He usually stopped by for a few days between the academic quarters, and first met Rukia during the Longest Day Festival the Shibas were hosting. The two had taken an instant liking to one another. Whereas Kaien acted as a sort of annoying older brother, Jushiro was a father figure. He was knowledgeable and patient, his specialty was teaching Advanced Mores and not only gave examples of how Mores should be used, but also explained the reasoning behind them. Within only two days, Rukia seemed to soak up more about the necessity and intricacies of Mores from Lord Ukitake than from all her previous tutors. He was also a King, and demonstrated how the release of power changed from the level of a Lord, to a Prince, to a King. It was one of the most insightful demonstrations Rukia had ever witnessed.

"That's right; I forgot the two of you were students of his!" A smirk came over Rukia's face "It doesn't seem like he's old enough to have been a professor when YOU attended here Kaien. Miyako I can understand, she looks like she graduated recently, but you don't look a day under 40."

"Why you little!" and Kaien pulled a squealing Rukia under his arm in a head hold.

Miyako simply shook her head "Settle down children." Watching as a ruffled Rukia tried to smooth out her hair, "And don't feel too self-conscious Kaien, you're the best looking 40-year-old I know." She chuckled and leaned over to give her affronted husband a kiss. He truly was a good-looking man, tall and toned, with spiky black hair and sea green eyes. He had a mischievous air around him, which never failed to garner stares of interest when the two were about. She did not blame him though, she knew his looks attracted attention, but his heart was for her. When he finally did turn 40, she had no doubts he would not be the same pretty boy he currently is, but he would be more mature and defined, and would still make her heart flutter.

Kaien saw the look in her eyes, gave her one of his cocky grins, and kissed her right back. "I'll be back in 30 minutes. Behave yourself menace." He directed towards Rukia and headed out of the quad.

The two Ladies were quickly able to unpack the remaining boxes and Rukia said she would unpack her personal luggage later. "Have you thought about the courses you want to take your first year?" enquired Miyako.

"I'm not quite sure yet," started Rukia, "I know the three courses Byakuya says I should take, and honestly I'm not really familiar enough to agree or disagree."

"Let us take a look while we wait then, I believe a schedule of courses should be in your welcome packet. I don't think things have changed too much since I attended, maybe I can give you a little insight."

Rukia opened her welcome packet and shuffled through some papers before pulling out a sheet of heavier weight, with the official Royal Academy seal embossed at the top of the page.

* * *

Welcome **Rukia Kuchiki** to your first year at The Royal Academy. All students are required to enroll in 6 courses per year. **Mores** and **Logic & Strategy** are mandatory to all Year 1 students. Select 4 additional courses from the below list:

Choose 1 or more of the following combat courses (placement test taken on first class day):  
 **Physical Combat  
** **Weapons Combat** **  
**

Choose 1 or more of the following spells courses (placement test taken on first class day):  
 **Tactical Spells  
** **Utility Spells** **  
**

Select any final courses from the following:  
 **Leadership  
** **Seminary  
** **Teacher's Assistant/Internship – Instructor Name:** **  
**

Turn in this form to your student representative by 5pm Friday. Your schedule will be delivered to your dorm room by Sunday evening.

Year 1 Representative: **Orihime Inoue  
** Dorm Assignment: **Quad 6-8 (Women's Freshman Dorm)**

* * *

"I didn't realize there were so few options." Rukia mused.

"That's only because this is your first year. The higher ups want everybody to have a similar base of knowledge. Come next year there will be more classes to choose from, and that is when you can identify your track of study. Let's start from the top then. Did your brother mention anything to you about combat training?"

"He said I would receive a private tutor for personal combat, so I should enroll in the weapons course as the tutor cannot bring such items onto campus grounds."

"A private tutor you say? That is interesting." Miyako thought about certain occurrences since Rukia's Divination Ceremony, and silently mused on the possible reasons Byakuya would want her to receive private instruction. "Even if you're not enrolled in the actual class, at least you will still receive the training. It never hurts to know self-defense."

Rukia grabbed a pen off her desk and placed a mark next to Weapons Combat. "All right, next are the spells courses, tactical and utility. Byakuya wants me to take tactical, but what's the difference?"

"Tactical spells are offensive and defensive spells which can be especially useful during combat, think of it as self-defense with magic and power instead of physical objects. Utility is mostly a catch all for the different ways you can utilize your power. For instance you can combine different spells to create something entirely new, or even imbue objects with special properties."

"I like that one!" and Rukia quickly marked off Tactical and Utility Spells. "Ok, and Byakuya definitely wanted me to take Leadership as well." After making a fourth mark, Rukia seemed to be pondering her latest choice of class. "Miyako? Can I ask you something?"

Miyako looked up at the sudden change in tenor of Rukia's voice. Just a minute ago she was excited about her courses, but now she sounded unsure and worried. "Of course. What's going on?"

"Do you, do you think Byakuya…cares about **me**? Or, do you think, maybe, he's trying to turn me into the best Kuchiki he thinks I should be?"

Miyako looked back on the actions Byakuya had taken since Rukia's arrival "I think, in his own way, he truly cares about your best interests, and wants to give you every advantage and the best life he can imagine for you. But Rukia, the best life Byakuya can imagine, may not be the best life you can imagine. The two of you are not the same, you grew up and were raised in completely different worlds. Your life is yours, not your brother's."

"But he's given me so much. He took me off the streets, gave me a home, and someone to call family. I just don't want to be a disappointment to him."

"I know, and maybe for this first year you should follow your brothers advice for courses. There are so few options you probably would select the same ones even without his input. Next year though, you will have a grasp of what you do and don't feel comfortable with. Next year you can choose a track which is just for you. And I think Byakuya would be happy that you are happy."

Rukia gave a hearty smile "Thank you for listening Miyako."


End file.
